Postgraduate Programme in Sonology

The creation and enjoyment of music are widespread activities in industrialised societies. The musical technology developed in recent decades has made it possible for anyone with an interest in music to take part in one form or another in this revolution in the way we relate to music. Sonology brings together and integrates the different disciplines which provide the knowledge and techniques required to develop musical applications, build new instruments, understand the interaction between performers or between musicians and audience, give automatic help to a human musical performer, generate previously unheard sounds or plan and produce musical productions.

The professional market related to musical technology requires digital minstrels capable of exploiting the possibilities allowed by the digital representation of sound and musical at any time and in any place. For some of these digital minstrels the main objective is the creation of musical interfaces or new instruments; for others, those who choose the recording studio as their musical milieu, the aim will be to maximise and optimise the exploitation of tools and technology according to specific aesthetic and production criteria.

Therefore the Postgraduate Diploma which we are now offering incorporated these two possible paths towards professional specialisation for musicians, engineers and sonologists, combining under the Diploma offered by IDEC and in collaboration with the Escuela Superior de Música de Catalunya the Postgraduate Course in Musical Production Technology and Techniques and the Postgraduate Course in Interactive Musical Design Systems.

The aim of the Postgraduate Course in Music Production Techniques and Technology is to offer theoretical and practical training in the technology and procedures which make it possible to create sound and music, with a special emphasis on the concepts and technology applied to the recording and post-production of music.

The practical part of this teaching proposal is especially reinforced thanks to the availability of resources which the ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya) puts at the disposal of the students registered. Success on the course will provide the essential knowledge and abilities to perform professional work in the recording studio, audiovisual and multimedia production companies and those specialising in musical services.

The aim of the Postgraduate Course in Design of Interactive Music Systems is to offer the theoretical and practical bases for the design of new interfaces and new systems for creating live music with digital devices. In this multidisciplinary area we integrate knowledge and abilities related to musical performance, music computing, sound analysis and synthesis, the interaction between people and computers, programming and micro-electronics related to sensors and micro-controllers.

This postgraduate course, a world pioneer in its field, was devised and is directed by the creators of the Reactable, the new musical instrument which rose to fame after being used by the Icelandic singer Björk on her last tour. All in all it offers the possibility to train, to the highest possible standards, new 21st century minstrels.

Success in the two postgraduate courses can lead to the Postgraduate Diploma in Sonology.

This programme is made up of the following programmes:

• Postgraduate Course in Design of Interactive Music Systems
• Postgraduate Course in Music Production Techniques and Technology